xiii, 339 pages ; 24 cm

"What little has been written previously on the Lebanese 'crusader' county of Tripoli has focused upon the southern French ancestry of the counts of Tripoli, descendants of the counts of Saint-Gilles. Kevin Lewis argues for a deeper understanding of the processes that shaped the county throughout the twelfth century. What emerges is an intriguing analysis of how the counts struggled to exert their power over Lebanon in the face of insurmountable geographical forces and a great diversity of religions, languages and cultures. This book challenges prevailing knowledge of this little-known crusader state and the medieval Middle East as a whole"--Provided by publisher

Includes bibliographical references and index

Introduction: Sons of Saint-Gilles -- The succession of cousins : counts Raymond I (1103-05), William Jordan (1105-09) and Bertrand (1109-12) -- The forging and freedom of the county : Count Pons (1112-37) -- Military decline and matrimonial discord : Count Raymond II (1137-52) -- Count and captive : Count Raymond III (1152-74) -- The regent thwarted : Count Raymond III (1174-87) -- Conclusion: Alien and native -- Appendix 1: Sources -- Appendix 2: Troubadour poetry and Tripoli

plus-circle Add Review

comment

Reviews